System and means for feeding water to steam boilers



lVlaY 1931- I. D. LOOKINGLAND 1,804,172

SYSTEM AND MEANS FOR FEEDING WATER TO STEAM BOILERS Filed Oct. 6 1927 6 Sheets-Sheet l $4M QQ MMZ. y W 2 May 5, 1931. Y 1. D. LOOKlNGL-AND 7 SYSTEM ANDMEAiIS FOR FEEDING WATER TO STEAM BOILERS Filed 001;. 6, 1927 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 May 5, 1931. D. LOOKINGLAND 1,804,172

sxsmx AND mums 'FOR FEEDING WATER TO STEAM BOILERS Filed 001;. a. 1927 e Sheets-Sheet 3 May 5, 1931. I. D. LOOKINGLAND 1,804,172

SYSTEM AND MEANS FOR FEEDING WATER TO STEAM BOILERS Filed Oct. 6. 1927 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Muff/5 May 5, 1931. D. LOOKINGLAND 1,804,172

SYSTEM AND MEANS FOR FEEDING WATER TO STEAM BOILERS Filed Oct. 6. 1927 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Y erd?) f Patented May 5, i931 rater/2 s W as as; as]

ISAAC D. LOOKINGLAND, OF CHICAGO, ILLINGIS SYSTEM AND MEANS FOR Application filed tlctober 6, 1927.

My invention relates to improvements in methods and means for feeding water into steam boilers. 1

The object is to provide a system of boiler teed which shall be more economical than erg ; which shall make use of the cit-y water pr those now generally in use; which shall. be automatic in its operation; which 5'; L

capable of being operated manually'ir icr reason it does not operate automatical sure or other source of water pressure to as sist in the operation of the mechan which shall take hot water from a stoi tank and force it by a preponderance of pres sure derived from the boiler into a receiver ent instance I have shown three cylinders,

two of which receive hot water from the storage tank and one receives water at city pressure, thus when steam from the boiler is admitted to the three cylinders the pressure on the three pistons is opposed only by the city water pressure on one piston and by boiler pressure on the other two, and as th boiler pressure is much higher than the water pres sure'there is a preponderance of pressure to force thehot water from the two cylinders intothe receiver which is open to the boiler.

Nhile my improved method of feeding boilers is in etiect a uniform feed, it is not continuous but is distinguished from the usual continuous teed produced by the use,

of steam pumps and the like, by the fact that the feed water is projected into the receiver in successive measured quantities, the pro jection of the successive quantities being separated suitable intervals of time sui ENG XVATEE T0 STEAKM BOILERS Serial No. 224,351.

iicient to permit the reestablislnnent of the boiler pressure in the receiver and the flow, by gravity after such equalization of pressure of the water from the re eiver into the boiler. While each quantity or batch of water is being discharged into the receiver, it of course condenses the steam in the receiver thereby becoming heated to practically boiler temperature. F or this reason a boiler fed with water by this system is not subject to contraction and expansion strains as is usual where the feed water is colder than the boiler temperature. Consequently the boiler is longer lived-and requires less repairs. Furthermore although the condensation or" the steam in the receiver reduces the pressure therein, still as the receiver is in constant communication with the steam space of the boiler the steam immeuiately flows into the receiver thereby quickly restoring the boiler pressure in the receiver and permitting the heated feed water to flow into the boiler be fore the pressure is again reduced in the re ceiver by the next entering batch or quantity 01- water.

ll hen my system is understood it will be clear that any preponderance of pressure to force the hot water into the boiler can be an ranged for by providing more or less cylinders and varying the proportion of cylinders receiving city water and hot water from the tank to meet the conditions presented.

My invention consists in the improvements in boiler feed systems as above outlined and as hereinafter more fully explained in conjunction with the accompanying drawings an: particularly pointed out in the appeared claims.

In said drawings:

Fig. 1., is a side elevation of a steam boiler eq ripped with a feed water system embodying my invention in one form;

Fig. 2, is a rear end elevation of the boiler and equipment;

3, a fragmentary, side elevation of the multiple cylinder pump or trap;

i, is a. horizontal section on the line i l of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5, is an end view of the pump as seen from the right hand end of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6, is a top plan view of the pump;

Figs. 7 and 8 are fragmentary, horizontal, sectional views on the lines 7--7 and 8-3 respectively of Fig.

Fig. 9, is a vertical, central section of the pump on the line 99 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 10, is a vertical, longitudinal section on the line 1O of Fig. 6;

11, is a fragmentary, vertical, central section of the upper end of the receiver on the line 1111 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 12, is a horizontal section on the line 12-12 oi Fig. 11. I

In said drawings 1 represents a horizontal cylindrical steam boiler having a steam dome 2 near its forward end and a large feed and blow oil pipe 3 at its rear end.

In my system of water feed I provide a tank a open at its top to the atmosphere and preferably arranged at a higher level than the boiler in vhich water to feed the boiler with is maintained at a suitable level by any of the usual means for this purpose, such as a float valve, not shown, which would control the entrance of water from a suitable supply, such as a city water main 6. I also provide a receiver 5 which is preferably in the form of a vertical cylindr'cal tank set at a higher level than the boiler. This receiver is connected directly to the steam ace of the boiler by a n 7 hich connects the top of the boiler with the top of the receiver and is controlled by a hand valve 3.

The bottom of the receiver is co-nnec the inlet pipe 3 by a feed pipe 9 of i area which is controlled by a check valve 19 near the receiver, a check valve 11 near inlet pipe and a hand valve 12 between check valve 11 and the inlet pipe 3, and a." receiver is at a higher level than the boiler and its upper end is in open communication with the steam space 0? the boiler, any water delivered into the receiver at once by gravity into the boiler. A. drain pipe 13 also provided for the receiver controlled by a hand valve 13.

The water in the tan! sated by any suitable means, preterm e return drip from the heating system and condensate from the steam using devices such engines, etc. Of course, the water can be heated by steam direct gro he boiler ii necessary". it is preferable to maintain the water in the tank 4 at about 212 degrees. To take the hot water from the tank a and force it into the receiver is the object and aim of the apparatus now to be described.

For this purpose and in the present in stance I have provided a multicylin-iler pump 14- having three vertically arranger parallel cylinders 15, 16 and 17. The o der 16 is arranged between the other two. it v inder contains a piston head 18 which is movable up and down therein and each piston head is connected by a piston l9 projecting through the upper head 20 of tlie cylinders and suitable striding boxes 21 with a cross head member 22. The several pistons move up and down as a unit. The upper ends of the several cylinders are connected to the steam supply pine which leads from the steam dome 2. This pipe 23 is controlled by a hand valve 23 and feals into a manifold pipe 24: which ha branches entering each cylinder.

A horizontal pipe 25 connects the manifold 2% with the supply pipe This pipe 25 is controlled by a valve 26 provided with a valve stem 27 projecting through a suitable stu'tling box 28 and by which the valve is opened by lifting or pulling up the stem. Beyond the connection to the manifold the pipe 25 is provided with another valve 29 which is also adapted to be opened by lifting or pulling out its valve stem 30. The valve 29, as shown, is of the balanced type but might be of the same form as the valve 26 if desired.

The operating arrangement is such that tiese two valves are alternately opened and closed. The valve 26 is he steam supply valve and the valve 29 is the steam exhaust valve. ll hen one is open the other is closed. When the supply valve 26 is open steam enters the upper ends of all the cylinders above the pistons therein and applies pressure on the several pistons to force them down. lVhen the supply valve 26 is closed and the exhaust valve 29 opened the steam is permitted to escape from the several cylinders and the pressure is taken oil of the pistons.

The lower ends of the two outer cylinders 15 and 17 are connected by a pipe 31 with the hot water tank l near or at its bottom. This pipe is controlled by a hand valve 32 and a check valve 33 between cylinder 17 and the tank l. The check valve 33 opens towards the cylinder and closes towards the tank 4;. The pipe 31 branches to each of said cylinders 15 and 17 and leads on to the upper end of the receiver 5. A check valve 31 is inter posed n the pipe 31 between the pump and the receiver 5. This check valve opens towards the receiver and closes towards the pump. The pipe 31 is also controlled by a hand valve 3 located near the receiver.

The lower end of the middle cylinder 16 is connected to a supply of water under pressure by a pipe which is controlled by a hand valve 36. This pipe 35 extends beyond the pump and connects with the boiler inlet pipe 3, and is controlled between the pump and the inlet pipe by a hand valve 37 and a ch ck valve 37.

The delivery pipe 31 enters the center of the upper head of the receiver and is provided with a distributor 39 on its end within the upper end of the receiver. This distributor is in the form of a hollow ball provided with four delivery holes arranged around its 7 Cir horizontal circumference and the holes are adapted to deliver the 'waterin-to the upper part of the receiver in several streams which are projected against the sides of the receiver and are broken up into small drops. This assists in the rapid absorption of heat by the water from the high pressure and high temperature steam contained in the receiver.

The pipe 9 connecting the bottom of the receiver to the water inlet of the boiler is cross connected by a pipe 40 with the hot water tank 4 for a purpose to be explained. This connection is controlled by a hand valve 41. This pipe 40 is also connected to the steam line forthe pump by a pipe 42 but beyond a check valve 43 and is adapted to direct the exhaust steam from the pumpinto the hot water tank 4. A drain pipe 44 is provided connected to the pipe 42 and controlled by a hand valve 45.

For controlling the operation of the pump the following valve operating mechanism is provided. The stems 27 and of the two steam control valves 26 and 29 are connected to a rocking lever 46 at points 47 and 48 respectively and on opposite sides of the pivotal mounting 49 of the lever 46. The pivotal mounting 49 is carried on the top of a standard 50 which is mounted at its lower end in a threaded opening 51 in a bushing and 27 to make them close properly.

The lever 46; as shown in Fig. 1, extends to the left and is provided with a counterweight 53 on its end which tends to tip the left hand end of the lever down, thus closing the exhaust valve 29 and opening the steam valve 26. To minimize the drop of the weight there is a spring rest 54 provided arranged on top of the drain pipe 44 and which cushions the impact of the weight when it drops.

For tipping the lever 46 in the opposite direction to close the steam valve 26 and open the exhaust valve 29 there is provided an arm 55 secured rigidly on the cross-head 22 and projee ing out to the right beyond the crosshead. As best shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the projecting end of the arm 55 is divided into two parts 56 and 57. The part 56 projects tour d the frontand the part 57 toward he The function of the part 56 is to contact with the right hand end 58 of the tipping lever 46 as approaches the downward limit of its movement and force that end of the lever 46 down, thus closing the steam valve nd opening the exhaust valve 29.

or retaining the lever 46 in this position until the cross-head has risen to theupper lin..t of its movement. there is a latch lever 59 pr vided which is in the form of a bell-crank pivot-ally mounted at 60 on the upper end of a standard 61 mounted at its lower end on a projection 62 rising from the cylinder head casting 20. This standard 61, as shown in Fig. 8, is slidingly mounted in the projection 62 so as to be capable ofbeing adjusted vertically and is held in its adjusted position by a set screw One arm 64 of the bellcra'nk depends below the pivotal mounting 60 and the other arm 65 projects horizontally toward the rear. This horizontal arm carries an ad justable weight 66 for causing the lever totip in one direction and the lever is tipped in the opposite direction by the arm 57 of the valve operating arm approaches the upper limit of its movement contacts with the arm 65 and lifts it swinging the other arm 64 of the bell-crank 59 to the l see Fig. 7. The arm 64 of the bellc. .1113: has a notch 67 providing a shoulder 68 arranged to project over the right hand end of the lever 46 and retain this lever in position with its right hand end depressed, the steam valve 26 closed and the exhaust valve 29 open. The weight 66 tips down the arm of the bell-crank and swings the arm 59 to the left, Fig. 7, as soon as the end 58 of the lever 46 is forced down by the arm 56 far enough to enter the notch 67 below the shoulder 68. The parts are retained in these posi tions until the cross-head rises and the arm lifts the arm 65 of tl e bell-crank, thus releasing the lever 46 from the shoulder 68 and permitting the weight 53 to tip the lever /I( 40 in the other direction, thrs opening the stem 1 valve 26 and closing the exhaustvalve 00 A stop 69 is provided for preventing the arm 64 swinging out too far to the left.

There is a pipe 70 connecting the water supply pipe 35 with the hot water tank 4 for a purpose to be described, and this pipe is controlled by a hand valve 71/ There is also a connection between the water supply and the pipe, 31; this consists of the pipe 'TZ-lconnected at one end to the water supply and controlled by the hand valve 7 2 and the other end of which is open and controlled by a drain valve 74; this is for a purpose to be described. The operation of the pump is as follows: assuming that the device is operating to feed hot water to the boiler through the receiver. The hand operated valves are in the fol lowing condition: I

Valve 36 is open to allow water under pressure to enter the lower end of the middle cylinder from the water main; valve 32 is open to allow hot water from tank 4 to enter the two outer cylinders: valve 23 is open to supply steam from the boiler to the pump; valve 34 is open to allow the hot water to be forced from the two outer cylinders into the top of the receiver; valve 8 is open to supply live steam to the receiver; valve 12 is open to permit the hot water in the receiver to flow into the boiler; valve 41 is closed to shut cit connection between the "eceiver and the tank This arm 5'? as it 4; valve 71 is closed to shut oil communication between the hot water tank and the middle cylinder; valves 72 and are closed.

It will be understood that during normal operation of the device the lower end of the middle cylinder is continuously in communication with the city water main, and that the pressure operates to push the several pistons up when it is permitted to and "forced back into the main when the steam pressure is applied to the several cylinders.

Assuming that the parts are in the positions shown in Fig. l; steam enters the i aniiold 2 L through the steam valve 26 and forces the several pistons down. As the pist ns descend the hot. water which has filled the two outer cylinders through the pipe 31 is forced out of the cylinders and up into the receiver and the city water in the middle cylir ar is forced back into the main. l i hen the ptons reach their lowermost positions where they 1 upon supporting bars 7 in the bottoms of th cylinders and which bars prev the pics. n closing the outlets "from the cylinders lever l6 has been reversed by the arm am is latched in its reversed position. Thus holding the steam valve 26 closed and the exhaust valve 29 open. This permits the water pres sure below the middle piston to lift cral pistons and the cross-head to tl per positions, thus again lillin cylinders with hot water from completing a cycle of operations.

The direct connection 40 between the receiver and the hot water tank is for assistin in heating the tank when starting; the sys em into operation, the conder ed steam in tee receiver being forced over into the tank to assist in heating the water there i. In case or" emergency the hot water can be forced directly into the boiler instead of into the receiver: this is done by closing; the valves 3% and 36 and opening the valves 71 and 3'7. Under these circumstances the middle cylinder only receives hot water and the two outer cylinders are in communication with the city main. The operation is similar to the instance already described except it have more nat we power to lift the pistons and more pressure to force the water into the boiler.

A thermometer 9 is provided on the pipe 9 for indicating the temperature 01" the water. In use the water in the tank 4: is usually maintained at about 212 dearees tem perature and the water is delivered from the receiver to the boiler at 300 degrees or more. There is no ditliculty experienced in pumping hot water and all of the heat units in the steam are conserved.

A drain pipe 6 is provided connected to all of the cylinders near their upper ends and is controlled by a hand valve 77. This is to drain oil the condensed steam when warming up the pump.

It is to be noted that the several pistons of the pump work up and down together, that is, in unison and not alternately, that the water is forced into the receiver by the downward strolre of the pistons, that no water is delivered during the upward strolre of the pistons and that consequently the water is fed into the receiver in measured quantities or batches and that these are separated as to time by the interval necessary for the pistons to accomplish their upward movement.

T his feature or" the separation of the quantities oi water ted into the receiver is of the utmost importance.

The projection of the water into the receiver in the manner described and particularly by the use of the distributor 39 in the top of the receiver or some similarly acting: device, causes a sudden absorption by the incoming water of heat from the steam in the receiver, the heating of the feed water to nearly boiler temperature, and t-he'consequcnt reduction of the pressure in the receiver to a point below boiler pressure.

As the connection of the receiver with the lower part oi the boiler is controlled by the check valve 10, the water cannot back up 1'; ii the boiler, and as the top of the receiver open to the steam space of the boiler, the pi cssure in the receiver is promptly equalized with that in the boiler, the steam flowing; into the receiver through the pipe 7.

As soon as the pressure in the receiver is equalized with that in the boiler, the water in the receiver flows into the boiler by gravity through the pipe 9. The time required to equalize the pressure in the receiver with that in the boiler is allowed for by the regulation of the speed of the pump, so that sufficient time is allowed to permit one quantity of the delivered water to flow out of the i into the boiler before the next quantity is forced into the receiver.

It is also to be noted that there is no moving" mechanism in the receiver or between the pump and the boiler, that there are no traps or other devices to be taken care of and that it is not necessary to vent or relieve any trap or space and that consequently all heat units in the steam are conserved and that none are lost thrown away.

It will now be clear that for a specificinstallation it is only necessary to proportion the pump and the receiver to the maximum quantity of feed water required so that the water cannot be led to the receiver taster than it can flow into the boiler and that to teed it slower than the maximum it is only necessary to reduce the speed of the pump.

The system is highly economical and ellicient and on ordinary sized plants of about 100 horse-power the saving over other methods is from one-fourth to one-third of the fuel.

As many modifications of my invention will readily suggest themselves to one skilled in the art, I do not limit or confine my invention to the specified details of construction or operation herein shown and described.

I claim:

1. The improvement herein described comprising a boiler feed system, including a multi-cylinder pump, pistons in the several cylinders connected for similar simultaneous movement, connections between the like ends of each cylinder and the boiler to be fed, to receive steam therefrom, the opposite end of at least one cylinder connected with a supply of water under pressure less than the normal boiler pressure, the opposite ends of at least two of the cylinders connected to a supply of hot water and to the boiler, automatically operable means for controlling the inlet and exhaust of the steam to the cylinders.

2. In a boiler feed system, a pump having a. plurality of double acting cylinders, pistons in the several cylinders, the pistons all connected to a single cross-head to act as a unit, one end of one cylinder connected to a source of supply of fluid under pressure of less than normal boiler pressure, the similar ends of the other cylinders connected to a source of supply of feed water, and also to the boiler to feed same, the opposite ends of the several cylinders connected to a source of steam pressure, and automatically operable valve means for cont-rolling the operation of the pump.

3. In a system of the kind described, a boiler, a. multi-cylinder pump, a hot water tank, a receiver connected to the boiler to receive steam therefrom and having a second connection with the boiler for feeding water thereto, connection between the boiler and the similar ends of the several cylinders to supply steam to the cylinders, the opposite end of at least one of the cylinders connected to a source of supply of fluid under a pressure less than the normal steam pressure in the boiler, the remaining opposite ends of the cylinders having an aggregate area greater than the one connected to the source of fluid pressure and connected to the hot water tank to receive hot water there from and to the receiver to deliver the hot water thereto.

4. In a boiler feed system of the kind described, a source of supply of hot water, a double acting pump cylinder connected at one end to a Water pressure pipe, and connected at the other end to the boiler to receive steam under pressure therefrom, other cylinders likewise connected at one end to the boiler to receive steam pressure therefrom, and at their other ends to a source of supply of hot water and to the boiler and automatically operable valve means for controlling the operation of the pump, the several pistons of the several cylinders being connected together to act as a unit and adapted to deliver predetermined quantities of Water separated by predetermined intervals of time.

5. A boiler feed pump comprising a plurality of double acting cylinders, pistons in the cylinders connected to reciprocate in unison, means for alternately delivering steam pressure from the boiler to similar ends of the several cylinders and exhausting the steam therefrom, the opposite end of atleast one cylinder adapted to be continuously connected to a source of fluid pressure less than the normal pressure in the boiler, means for alternatingly connecting the opposite ends of the remaining cylinders to a source of supply of feed water and to the boiler, the arrangement being such that when steam is applied to the like ends of the several cylinders, the aggregate pressure is more than the aggregate pressure at the opposite ends of the cylinders.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, this 15th day of September, 1927.

ISAAC D. LOOKINGLAND. 

